Can memory training help improve interpreting quality? A case report in China

Abstract

ABSTRACTInterpreting, especially simultaneous interpreting, is a complex cognitive processing task that has special requirements for the interpreter’s memory resources. To date, interpreting scholars have not yet reached a consensus about the interrelationship between memory and interpreting quality, but it is generally acknowledged that memory is one of the essential elements that may affect the interpreting process as well as the final interpreting quality. Against this background, this experimental study examines the interplay between memory training and interpreting quality with reference to the language combination of Chinese and English. By exercising different memory training methods among beginning and advanced interpreting learners, the present study comes to the following conclusions: (1) Memory training exerted significant favourable effect on the interpreting learners’ performance. (2) Memory allocation training played a more important role than memory capacity training in the learners’ development. (3) Memory capacity training was more beneficial for the interpreting learners at the beginning phase, while memory allocation training proved to be more helpful as the interpreting learners built up more experience in interpreting learning. Therefore, an effective coordination of memory capacity and memory allocation training is necessary in interpreting teaching in order to achieve a comprehensive impact on the interpreting learning outcome.